Culture
03 Dec 13

App Attack and Tech News

Now that the NSA knows what underpants you’re wearing, online and mobile security is becoming more important in the world of apps

App Attack

Some of the new security-conscious communication apps include TELEGRAM MESSENGER, a one-to-one and group chat app that uses encryption coding to keep your chats from prying eyes. The messages self-destruct once you’ve read them, in true Mission Impossible style.
Nokia Lumia users can feast ears and eyes on a flashy new app that downloads video and audio files. FLASHVIDEO helps to find links to videos, pictures, audio, and files of other formats, from sites you look at. It costs €2.99 from Nokia Windows Marketplace.
Gawping at a sat-nav at night perhaps isn’t the safest way of reaching your destination. So the creators of HUDWAY might be onto something. Place your iPhone onto the dashboard, when night has fallen, and the app reflects a navigation HUD display onto the windscreen. Genius!

Tech News

SIZE MATTERS FOR SAMSUNG
Samsung is reported to be creating a monster tablet, in the mould of HP’s back-breaking Envy Rove. The touchscreen device will measure 12.2”, drawing on the success of its Galaxy S series and Galaxy Notes, phones so big they coined the term “phablets”. Current Samsung tablets include the 8 and 10 inch Galaxy Tabs. The Galaxy Note 10.1 launched earlier this year with a 2,560x1,600-pixel screen, an eight-core chip and 3GB of RAM. Samsung tablets are child’s play too – the 7” Galaxy Tab 3 Kids recently launched with a kid-friendly interface and a chunky C Pen for doodling.

PRIMAL STREAM
Music streaming service Deezer now has a catalogue of 30 million tracks, with an average of 27,000 new songs from all genres and countries added every day. The service has 50 music editors from around the world, providing recommendations on a variety of genres. Deezer recently unveiled its Hear This music discovery feature, which gives daily recommendations based on what the user is listening to, favourite brands, playlists, and handpicked tunes from Deezer’s music experts, and then creates a personal music stream for each user. Around 75% of subscribers listen to music on Deezer through mobile devices.

AIRS AND GRACES
Logitech have launched a bunch of new accessories for iPad Air. The Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio (€149) lovingly hugs your beloved Air with a water-repellent coating. The built-in Blutooth keyboard is fused into the fabric, and has a locking system to keep it in place. Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover (€99.99) is an aluminium screen cover that doubles as a built-in Bluetooth keyboard, rechargeable through micro-USB. Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad Air (€99.99) has a stand that holds your iPad Air upright, while Logitech Folio Protective Case (€49.99) has more protection than a pack of industrial-strength prophylactics.